Phantom
by Ida Mirei
Summary: Don Alejandro, Diego and Bernardo are returning from Monterey to Los Angeles. With no more secrets between them their relations should be perfect, but they are not. To add fuel to the fire, their fourth companion draws too much unwanted attention. WD Zorro.
1. From Monterey to San Luis Obispo

**Phantom**

 _Don Alejandro, Diego and Bernardo are returning from Monterey to Los Angeles. With no more secrets between them, their relations should be perfect, but they are not. To add fuel to the fire, their fourth companion draws too much unwanted attention._

The story is based on Walt Disney Zorro. The plot is set between the episodes "Amnesty for Zorro" and "The Runaways".

All characters, including Phantom, belong to Disney.

I hesitated before publishing this story - the first one I have written after a few years of silence. However, it is 60th anniversary of Walt Disney show, as the first episode was aired on 10th of October 1957. It is my small way to celebrate it.

* * *

 **I. From Monterey to San Luis Obispo**

Alejandro de la Vega sighed with content, seeing that his and Diego's luggage was already loaded at the carriage. He couldn't wait to leave Monterey and start the journey back to the hacienda. True, it was good to make an excursion from time to time, but, just as the good Corporal Reyes, he also liked it better in Los Angeles.

He took his place in the carriage and watched with amusement how Diego made himself comfortable on his seat: correcting pillows, wrapping the dust cloth around his legs, searching for a proper book… It took so long, that if Alejandro hadn't known that it was part of Diego's play, he would certainly have gotten irritated so far.

 _I should act irritated,_ he recalled himself.

"For Heaven's Sake, Diego, what else do you need, until we will be able to finally set off?" he asked with a tired sigh. "An additional blanket? Or perhaps an umbrella?..."

"I knew I forgot about something!" exclaimed Diego, signing Bernardo to search for an umbrella among the trunks loaded at the rear part of the carriage. Simultaneously, he sent Alejandro a hurt glance saying 'I'm only doing my job!'

 _I'm only trying to help!_ wanted to defend Alejandro, but of course he couldn't say it aloud. Instead, he only sunk onto his seat and waited with growing impatience till Diego finished nesting himself and Bernardo took the reins, urging the horses to ride out of Monterey.

And then, for one small second, the sulked expression disappeared from Diego's face, giving place to disappointed longing, when he involuntarily looked back for the one last time.

All the goodbyes were made earlier, including the ones with the Verdugo family, so no one was expected to farewell them this morning on the plaza. However, Diego still hoped… _He hoped that she would come. That Anna Maria would guess, understand, whatever, and that she would come to stop him…_ realized Alejandro and looked at his son with compassion.

Yet Diego was already engrossed in the lecture of his book.

Alejandro sat in silence, watching how the last buildings of Monterey disappeared behind their backs. The gardens and orchards gave place to the rocky hills and bushes and finally around them was no other trace of human activity except the tract of the road.

Diego was still reading. Alejandro watched him for a while, waiting for him to close the book and start the conversation, but Diego only turned one page after another. Not that Alejandro expected him to be cheerful and serene, so soon after all that happened in Monterey, but… that silence was becoming unbearable.

Finally, he cleared his throat and said, trying to sound casual: "We are out of town. You can leave this book."

"Hmm?..." Diego raised his eyes with absent expression. "No, I'm enjoying it, really. Besides, I do not feel like riding."

 _I wasn't suggesting that you should ride. I was thinking that we could talk_ , thought Alejandro, but didn't voice it.

He was trying to be very cautious and caring around Diego now. Very… lenient.

After all, Diego was going through a heavy time now. He fell in love with the daughter of Gregorio Verdugo – he fell in love so badly, that he was ready to take off Zorro's mask for her. The governor's offer of amnesty was just in time. He could unmask, marry the girl and live happily ever after, with Zorro being no more than a fading memory from his past.

Only that Alejandro prevented him from taking the offer of amnesty. He said he did it for the people of California, who put their hopes in Zorro. He thought he was doing it also for Diego, convinced that his son couldn't be happy after not being able to put the black mask on again. Perhaps he was doing it also for himself.

It was not that Alejandro was feeling guilty. He was only feeling responsible.

All right. He was feeling guilty, just a bit. All these reasons for making Diego decline the amnesty, the reasons that he considered for so long and found so important, didn't matter that much now, when he was seeing his son unhappy. The way he was trying to hide his broken heart made it even more difficult to bear.

So, perhaps Alejandro was feeling guilty after all. Diego's mother, Isabella, always said that he became unbearable when he was feeling guilty, so this time he tried even more not to be show his mood. To be understanding and patient.

It was very difficult, to be so patient.

Finally, Alejandro felt that after another few minutes of this silent ride he would explode.

"Bernardo, let's change places," he said to the servant. "I will drive the carriage." At least he won't be sitting idly, pondering troubling thoughts.

However, Bernardo didn't move, or even cast one glance in his direction.

"Bernardo, would you give me the reins?" repeated Alejandro a bit louder. Also this time he got no reaction, until he shouted with irritation: "Bernardo, I know you can hear me!"

Bernardo jumped on his seat and turned back with apologizing smile. Then he quickly pulled over the carriage to the side of the road, so that he and Alejandro could change seats.

"You must give us some time, Father. Old habits die hard," observed Diego, for a moment raising his eyes from the book.

* * *

When they reached their first night halt at the small, austere tavern, Diego excused himself from eating dinner with his father and Bernardo.

During the last year he got quite practiced into placating his father's mood. Each time he felt that Don Alejandro was on the verge of an outburst of his famous anger, Diego would quietly disappear from his sight. Today he also withdrew to his room as soon as possible. Besides, he wasn't hungry anyway and he wasn't in the mood of talking. Instead, he went to his room, laid himself on the modest, but nicely made bed and sunk in thoughts – or dreams rather.

Dreams of what would have happened, if the events in Monterey had taken a different direction.

How would his life look like now, if a few days ago, at the hour of Angelus, he had rode to the plaza in Monterey in the black attire of _el Zorro_ and took off the mask?

Of course, the first moments would be irritating. Probably everyone around would ask 'It is you, Don Diego? You are Zorro?' During his prolonged stay in Monterey people managed to know him – or rather the calm, pacifistic scholar, he used to present to the world – enough to be surprised.

 _Ricardo would never believe,_ muttered Diego with a smile. _He would say it is just a ruse to get Anna Maria's attention. Probably he would accuse me of stealing the disguise he prepared for himself to impersonate the Fox._

So, Diego, would have to answer 'Yes, it is me' a thousand times.

And what expression would appear at the face of Sergeant Garcia! Diego grimaced, imagining the shock and surprise on the chubby face of the kind-hearted soldier. After all, they were friends. Would he feel cheated, or terrified by the fact that they crossed blades so many times… or perhaps glad that the Fox turned out to be someone so close to him?

 _I hope he wouldn't remember that I called him a big, fat pig…_ thought Diego, worried.

Well. Certainly the good sergeant would remember all the uniforms destroyed by the big 'Z' cut with Zorro's rapier on Garcia's belly.

Diego shifted, feeling suddenly very uncomfortable. Sergeant Garcia would feel cheated and hurt. Perhaps with time he would forgive him and understand that Diego meant no harm and offence, but his first reaction would be painful.

 _For Heaven's Sake, why I am pondering about the sergeant!_ _I was going to think about Anna Maria!_

Anna Maria. If he would accept the amnesty, and give up Zorro, it would be for her. To make her happy. To see her eyes shine with joy, when he would ride to her at the hour of Angelus. To hear her saying 'It is you?... I love you…'

… _like a brother,_ whispered the malicious memory.

Diego jumped out of bed, tossing the innocent pillow into the other corner of the room. This all had no sense. He should better find something to eat. Or go for a ride. Anything was better than sitting idly in this room, pondering the things that were never to happen.

* * *

Alejandro was sitting over the remains of his supper, all lost in thoughts, when the loud question woke him up from his musings:

"Señor, are you the man who bought Zorro's horse?"

Alejandro tilted and measured the man who asked it with a scrutinizing glance. Middle-aged, swarthy traveler in dusty clothes. Looked like a vaquero, wandering through el Camino Real, in search for better earnings. Probably he heard the rumors and was just curious.

"Yes," replied Alejandro reluctantly.

"And weren't you afraid?" asked the man, sitting by Alejandro's table, even if the don made no gesture to invite him.

"I didn't buy it from the outlaw," explained Alejandro, trying to restrain his irritation. They knew that people would ask questions. The best thing to do was to reply to them calmly. "This horse never belonged to him anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"It was the horse of Lieutenant Santos from the presidio in San Francisco. He was murdered by bandits near Monterey. _El Zorro_ chased his killers and took the horse, but then returned the animal to the family of his owner," explained patiently Alejandro.

"I heard that's a great stallion. Swift like wind and strong. Why didn't the bandit keep him for himself?" asked the man with disbelief in his voice.

Alejandro felt his ire rising. What did this man think, that his son was a horse thief? Luckily, he was already used to controlling his emotions when he heard people talking about Zorro.

"I don't know," he just shrugged his shoulders. "The lieutenant's family wanted to sell him, so I bought him. I wouldn't miss such occasion. My horses are famous in Southern California, everyone knows that," he bragged, deliberately trying to sound like a presumptuous, rich _haciendado_ – in hope that the curious traveler would get intimidated and leave.

Unfortunately, that didn't work, as the man asked: "Could I see this animal?"

"It is in the corral behind the inn," sighed Alejandro, rising.

Diego used Phantom as long as he needed him for Zorro's rides in Monterey. When their stay in this presidio ended, Zorro led him to Lieutenant Santos' sister. When he returned, alone, he was even more dejected than after the last rendezvous with Anna Maria. Alejandro thought that at least the horse was worth Diego's attachment, but he kept this notion for himself.

It was very hard to see Diego so depressed, after the second parting with someone so important for him in a few days. Besides, Alejandro knew much about horses and felt sorry for Phantom as well. It was a wise and faithful horse, with a mind and emotions of his own. He was very attached to his previous master, the late lieutenant. Alejandro suspected that he accepted Zorro as a new master only because he witnessed Diego trying to help his dying master. That's how the wise animal decided that Diego is a good man. Alejandro thought that losing the second master in such short time would break this magnificent stallion forever.

So in two days, when they learnt that the new owner wanted to sell the horse, Alejandro simply bought him.

Phantom now belonged rightfully to Alejandro de la Vega and – even if they were aware of the risks and possible difficulties – the joy of both Diego and Phantom meeting again was worth it.

That's why now Alejandro had to patiently lead the curious traveler to the corral, where de la Vegas' horses were secured.

"Beautiful," said the man with sincere admiration and, for a moment, Alejandro thought better about him.

Unfortunately, Diego chose exactly this moment to leave the shelter of his room. He passed by the other side of the corral and Phantom immediately ran toward him, fawning, while Diego patted his neck.

"He is very friendly," noticed the man with certain surprise.

"Of course," replied Alejandro with a shrug. "It is not a wild stallion. I told you it was a soldier's horse. He is well trained."

He noticed with anxiety, that Diego was taking the saddle. Luckily, while doing this, Diego turned to them for a while, and even if he didn't acknowledge that he saw his father talking with a stranger, he passed by Phantom and saddled his palomino.

Alejandro sighed with relief. Even if Diego was sad and dejected, he still thought quickly and remained watchful.

"Did you pay much for him, Señor?" asked the traveler.

"Much," replied Alejandro dryly. "Owning Zorro's horse has its price. But I have no custom to go into details of my transactions with unconcerned men."

"I understand," nodded the man. "Thank you for showing me the horse. Safe journey, Señor de la Vega."

The man left and Alejandro stood in front of the corral, until Bernardo neared to him with silent question in his eyes.

"This man was too curious," said Alejandro. "Besides, he didn't present himself even if he knew my name."

Bernardo made some calming gesture. Many people, especially interested in horses, knew Alejandro de la Vega, even if they have never been introduced.

"Yes, yes, I know," sighed Alejandro. "We knew that people will be curious. The more open we are, the less suspicions there will be. I will be replying to all questions as patiently as I can.

Changing the subject, Alejandro asked: "Do you know where Diego rode?"

Bernardo shook his head.

"I will be patient," sighed Alejandro again.

* * *

On the next day, they continued the journey, riding slowly south. They could probably travel faster had it not been for the three horses being led by the carriage. Of course, both Diego's palomino and Bernardo's sorrel were meek and obedient animals and Phantom – just as Alejandro said – was well-trained, however, they required attention. Usually, either Diego, or Alejandro, rode one of the horses, to better keep an eye on the others. That made the journey less monotonous, but limited the occasions for conversation.

At first, Diego appeared reluctant to ride Phantom. However, they took the ocean's trail, even less used than the one between the missions, and rode through a wild, uninhabited area, so finally Diego dared to mount Phantom and even let the eager animal ride ahead in full gallop.

Alejandro looked behind them, admiring both the noble animal and his son's riding skills. _I should have guessed he was cheating me after the first time he claimed to have fallen from a horse,_ he thought with a smile. _He learnt to ride before he started to read. I do not know what he would have to do to fall from a horse!..._

Then Alejandro's smile faded, as he recalled himself Sergeant Garcia talking about Zorro losing the pursuit by jumping over the Diablo's Gulch. Quickly, he said a prayer apologizing for his pride with his son's exploits and asking that he wouldn't be punished for it with Diego's accident of any kind.

In the meantime, Diego and Phantom disappeared ahead of the curve, and when the carriage passed by it, Alejandro noticed with unpleasant surprise that Diego was staying at the side of the road and talking with two unknown riders.

Alejandro's heart clenched with fear and bad premonition. Who were these men? Why did they stop Diego? Was it very bad that they saw him riding Phantom? Did they know that it was Zorro's horse?... Alejandro felt his pulse quicken and barely forced himself not to urge Bernardo to drive faster. He struggled to keep the neutral expression, as their carriage neared to the small group talking on the road.

"Father," said Diego with a playful smile, "You have just received the offer of purchase. Señores would like to buy Phantom."

"Si, Señor," nodded one of the men. "We are horse breeders from San Fernando. The stallion your son rides would be a great acquisition for our horse farm."

Only now Alejandro noticed that the horses the men rode were of unusual quality. A bit relieved, but still tensed, he replied: "Gracias, but this horse is not for sale. I am horse breeder myself, and I have my plans concerning it."

To his surprise, the men didn't insist.

"That's a pity, Señor," said one of them. "Let me then ask only, out of professional curiosity – how would you price this animal, if he was for sale?"

"This I cannot reply," answered Alejandro, shrugging his shoulders, "as he is not." He didn't care he was being impolite. He didn't like these men's curiosity.

"I told you, Señores," laughed Diego, "my father guards his business secrets well."

The men nodded only and said their goodbye. Alejandro waved for Bernardo to ride further, and this time Diego kept himself close to the carriage. Once they made a considerable distance, Alejandro let himself sigh with relief.

"For Heaven's Sake, I thought that my heart would jump out when I saw you talking with them! I thought… I do not know myself, that they are soldiers in civilian clothes, or some bounty hunters in the search for Zorro, that recognized this horse… Never mind. But what the hell were these men doing in the middle of such wilderness!"

"Most probably travelling, just as us," replied Diego, but didn't seem entirely convinced.

Alejandro shook his head. "I admire your calm, Diego. Weren't you nervous? I guess it is the first time when someone saw you riding Phantom without Zorro's attire."

Diego for a moment remained silent, until he looked at his father with a shy smile.

"I felt like I was caught red-handed. I hardly fought the impulse to head Phantom down the slope, to avoid the meeting," he confessed and added quietly: "It is not a sin to be nervous, Father. However, it would be a sin to show it."

Alejandro only shook his head again. He hoped, that even if he was not as controlled as his son, his pride would help him to keep the composure. After all, he was always too proud to show fear. _And many other feelings too,_ added his conscience.

"I hope that this horse stops drawing so much attention in Los Angeles," he sighed after a while. "Besides, at the pueblo only Garcia and Reyes would recognize Phantom as Zorro's horse. Ah, how they will be very surprised!" observed Alejandro, realizing that Garcia and Reyes left Monterey before they purchased the horse. Struck by the sudden thought he turned to Diego: "You must be very careful with Phantom, once we are in Los Angeles. The sergeant cannot see you ride him. He could get some… ideas."

"The sergeant's ideas are usually easy to manage, Father," replied Diego with slight smile. "However, I will be careful. Do not worry. No one has ever seen me riding Tornado, and yet he is trained and ridden as often as necessary."

Alejandro smiled, but then gasped: "Tornado! And what have you done with him before you set off for Monterey? Someone must take care about him!"

"Of course," replied Diego.

Alejandro waited for a moment for his son to develop the subject, but when Diego kept silent, he urged him: "So, what if this person connects the absence of Zorro in Los Angeles with the stay of Diego de la Vega at Monterey?..."

"Father, you would be surprised," said Diego with a twinkle in his eye, "but there are people living near Los Angeles, who had no idea that Diego de la Vega went to Monterey. What's more, they remain in unawareness of the very same existence of de la Vega family."

Don Alejandro at first furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, but soon understood: "You left him with the natives."

"Yes," nodded Diego. "I am quite befriended with a tribe of Tongva. They gladly take care of Tornado for me. He is absolutely safe there. Besides, even if they saw my face without the mask – which they didn't – they would have no idea who I am."

Alejandro shook his head in slight disbelief. He was well acquainted with natives living around Los Angeles. Many of them worked on his rancho, even at the hacienda. He took care of their well-being and education of their children, treating some of them almost like members of family. However, these were all Christians, trying to adopt the European lifestyle. Diego was referring to the wild and free tribes that remained faithful to the way of living of their ancestors.

"I am surprised Diego, how easily you get along with these wild Indians. Their customs are so different from ours," observed Alejandro. "It is easy to offend them with a single word or inconsiderate gesture."

"Oh, no, they forgive strangers many lapses," objected Diego. "It is enough to show good intentions and respect. The only taboo you have to obey is the ban of trespassing on their sacred lands. That's something they treat very seriously, fearing that it would anger the spirits."

Alejandro's eyes widened with surprise. The way Diego said 'sacred'! Not with amusement, not with indulgence. So… matter-of-factly. As if these lands were sacred indeed.

Alejandro treated the natives according to the Spanish tradition and preaches of the Church: like children, needing help and guidance, to return to the sheepfold of the Lord. Diego simply learnt to know them as neighbors.

 _My son is not Spaniard anymore. He belongs to this land_ , thought Don Alejandro with sudden surprise, but without anger. It wasn't strange, that after three generations of his family working for their lives and fortune on this new world, not sparing their sweat and blood, their souls slowly shifted their allegiance.

From his stay in Spain, Diego took the skills and knowledge, but none of the prejudices dictating the relations on the Old Continent. When he returned, he gracefully pushed away all the rigid rules that would limit the men of his class in Europe, with no hesitation stepping into the role of the masked highwayman.

 _The Spanish hidalgos would never understand it. They would treat his ruse as disgrace…_ mused Alejandro and felt the wave of irritation. _Just as they would never understand and accept me getting dirty from head to foot, while working with vaqueros, taking care of my animals!... So what, the world is changing!_

"I am concerned about these men, Father," Diego's voice interrupted his deliberations. "There was something off with them."

"The men who asked about Phantom?" made sure Alejandro. "Why? They could really be horse breeders. They indeed had good horses."

"I am not certain. Just a hunch," replied Diego. "I didn't like the way they looked at Phantom. Are you sure that none of them was the one who talked with you yesterday?"

"Of course. I would have recognized him!"

"Well, we will see. Perhaps I am overreacting," sighed Diego. His sight wandered somewhere behind the horizon and Alejandro realized with disappointment that after this short moment of liveliness, his son was falling again in his melancholic desinterressment.

"I think I will let Phantom rest now," Diego added in a changed voice. "I need to finish my book."

As soon as he returned to the carriage, he started to read his books again. Alejandro realized with certain bitterness that they just had the longest conversation since they left Monterey. Even if the meeting with the two travelers cost him a moment of fear, it was good to see his son so lively again.

If only it lasted longer…

Did Diego really need a reason to worry, to forget his dejection?

* * *

Bernardo started to regret he couldn't return to Los Angeles with Sergeant Garcia and Corporal Reyes. The soldiers decided to use their leave and take a detour, so that they could visit the rancho of Señorita Bastinado. Bernardo imagined both soldiers competing for the graces of the wealthy and clever business woman and smiled. That would be something worth seeing!

There was no joy in travelling with Diego and Alejandro now. The second day of the journey they spent in similar silence as the first one. Diego was reading his books, replying politely and with a smile when asked. However, it was this official smile, the part of his serene façade he always showed to the world, no matter what happened in his heart.

Alejandro was trying to be patient. He looked like a kettle filled with boiling water, with the cover fastened too tightly on its top.

Diego felt his irritation and it made him withdraw even deeper. He wasn't used to confronting his father, not without an important reason. If someone's life was endangered, he would stand up and argue, but if Don Alejandro was simply irritated – he would wait for him to calm down.

Diego's quiet withdraw made Don Alejandro feel guilty. That's why he tried to be even more patient.

Bernardo foresaw the first serious row to burst out before they reached the Mission of San Luis Obispo. Till then, he spent most of his time in the stables, taking care of their horses. Good animals, they knew how to show their needs and affections.

He was just brushing his sorrel, when Don Alejandro entered the stables and took the brush for himself. Bernardo showed him that the horses have been already taken care of, so the older man, after a moment of hesitation, sat with a sigh on a wooden bench.

"Is Diego angry at me?" he asked simply.

Bernardo quickly shook his head, slightly ashamed at the helplessness in the voice of Don Alejandro.

"So why does he not speak anything?"

Bernardo looked at him with surprise. Wasn't that obvious? Diego was not used neither to complaining, nor to confessing. During the last year, he learnt to control his emotions. No matter whether he was dealing with tirades of his disappointed father, disdainful comments – and later direct threats – of _Capitán_ Monastario, mocking remarks of _Magistrado_ Galindo or even with some brawlers trying to pick a quarrel in a tavern – he had to cope with it calmly hiding his feelings behind that courteous smile.

"Is it all because of this girl?" continued Don Alejandro with irritation. "Every young man must be ready to deal with rejection from time to time! Has he never been in love before?... Not even in Spain?..."

Bernardo bowed to the horse's side, carefully omitting Alejandro's sight. He was not going to reply, even with the slightest sign. What happened in Spain, stays in Spain.

"For Heaven's Sake, so why he didn't marry her?" burst out Alejandro. "If a de la Vega is not enough for her and she wants to have a masked outlaw for a husband, he could have told her the truth a thousand times. In private! Without all this show with amnesty!"

This time Bernardo nodded eagerly. For him it also made no sense, especially from the señorita's point of view. There was no reason in falling in love with Zorro and making him resign from the mask, what would turn him into an ordinary man. However, Bernardo never aspired to understand women's logic.

"Diego wouldn't have told me neither, if I didn't guess myself," muttered gloomily Don Alejandro in the meantime. "He would have waited till my death-bed, to confide in me." He looked at Bernardo and raised the hand in warning: "Just do not tell me that part about protecting me from danger. Nothing irritates me more than that."

Bernardo smiled apologizingly, trying to appear understanding. Not that Diego planned to wait till the hour of death – his or his father – with his confession. However, he didn't plan to confess his second identity to Don Alejandro in any foreseeable future. Yes, it was because he wanted to protect his father from danger connected with such knowledge. And no, Bernardo didn't think he was right.

"I could write to Gregorio," said Don Alejandro with consideration. "We could arrange the meeting, the young ones would have an occasion to… explain everything… He could tell her." Seeing Bernardo shaking his head with warning expression, Don Alejandro smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, I perfectly know that I shouldn't do anything like this without Diego's request."

That was not exactly what Bernardo meant. However, he was convinced that such meeting wouldn't bring anything good. Anna Maria many times made it perfectly clear, she could never fall in love with Diego. No matter what.

Of course, she didn't suspect, that 'no matter what' meant also 'even if you are Zorro', but Diego should have known it. Instead, he preferred to delude himself.

"How can I help him?..." sighed Don Alejandro. "You know Bernardo, I always thought I knew my son. Then he returned from Spain, so different than before and I started to fear I do not know him anymore. Then I had my suspicions, that slowly grew into certainty – and everything was clear again. And now, when there are finally no more secrets between us, I have again the feeling that… that I still need to learn to know him."

That was true. Nothing was granted forever. People changed and mutual relations required constant care and interest. However, Bernardo had no idea how to sign it, so he remained motionless.

"How could I… cheer him up? To tell the truth I am not certain anymore, what he really enjoys. For his last birthday I bought him some books, but I do not know, whether he read any of them."

Bernardo nodded eagerly. Diego loved his books. Well, perhaps 'The Influence of Moorish Culture on Spanish Poetry" wasn't his favorite position, but the titles brought by his father were always an excellent choice.

"So I thought, Bernardo," continued Don Alejandro, "that what Diego needs now is a bit of action."

Bernardo lowered his head to hide a smile. Don Alejandro thought that action is a cure for everything.

"If he were to ride as Zorro, his melancholy would be gone, I am certain," stated Don Alejandro. "Of course, it would be unwise to risk donning Zorro's disguise without proper reason, but what if not Zorro, but Diego would have to take action?"

Bernardo nodded at first. Some little riddle for Diego to solve would occupy his thoughts and would help him forget his failure in Monterey. Then, however, he stopped nodding and looked at Don Alejandro with caution. What exactly did the older don have in mind?

"As the matter of fact, I got inspired by today's incident on the road," explained Don Alejandro. "When he was worried about Phantom, for a moment he was his old self again."

Bernardo froze. He didn't like the direction of this conversation, not at all.

"If Phantom disappeared, Diego would immediately rush into action, don't you think?" asked innocently Don Alejandro. "A ride through the countryside, a bit of tracking, the excitement with finding a horse… that would be such a nice little adventure."

Bernardo tried to make an undefined gesture with his head, hoping that it didn't look like nodding. True, Diego would set off in search of Phantom, forgetting everything. But how was Don Alejandro going to make the horse disappear just to be found safely a few hours later?

"I am glad you agree with me, Bernardo, because the success of this plan depends mostly on you," smiled calmly Don Alejandro, confirming Bernardo's worst premonitions. "I thought we could stay in the Mission of San Luis Obispo for a few days. I will find the reason, some research of family archives, or else… Anyway, one day early in the morning, you could take Phantom and lead it on the seashore or into the mountains…"

Bernardo pointed at himself with shocked expression.

"Yes, we would let Diego believe that Phantom escaped," explained Don Alejandro serenely. "Of course, you will have to keep an eye on him discreetly. We would let Diego track the horse down. Such excursion should help him forget his worries."

Bernardo desperately shook his head. This was the idea to… cheer up Diego?... What a way to make up for the lack of communication! Why couldn't they both, father and son, simply talk?

On the other hand, it was Diego who started all these secrecy and misjudgments in their relations. Don Alejandro only played along, keeping his knowledge in secret.

What's more, Diego intended to accept the offer of amnesty, without revealing himself to his father first. Don Alejandro would learn Diego's secret together with the rest of Monterey. That was… neither fair, nor respectful.

Bernardo, in spite of his friendship with Diego, found it entirely wrong. He wondered how Diego could have forgotten to such extent about his father and his feelings. Was he really able to think only about Anna Maria? Or perhaps deep inside Diego wanted to have little retaliation, for all the malicious remarks that Don Alejandro didn't spare him, especially in the first month after their return from Spain? No, Diego wasn't vengeful, especially not toward his father. This time he simply didn't think about anything else, except from his love.

Bernardo rubbed his head, suddenly feeling very tired. Perhaps Diego needed to be reminded that he should pay more attention to his father?

On the other hand, was stealing Phantom the best way to do it? And even if, was it Bernardo, who should perform this trick? He was rather reluctant to get into the storm between father and son again. He got scared enough when Don Alejandro stopped Diego from taking an amnesty.

"Think about it, Bernardo," said Don Alejandro, standing up. "After all, we must do something."

Bernardo sighed, feeling that his head started to ache.

* * *

The carriage rode down el Camino Real, slowly nearing to the Mission of San Luis Obispo. Diego let himself get lulled by the monotonous rhythm of wheels into a half-dream and recalled Anna Maria. Her face, her smile, her eyes. The songs she sang. The way she laughed.

Diego knew he would forget her. Not all of her, of course – but that special feeling she used to awaken in his heart – he knew it would fade away irreversibly with time. Now she was still vivid in his memory, but he knew, that once he returned to Los Angeles, engaged in the daily affairs of the hacienda, life of the pueblo, adventures of the Fox – everything that happened in Monterey would slowly become unreal and distant, like a dream. The same would happen with his memories of Anna Maria – they would be like a dream, sweat and dear, but no more than a dream.

So now, during this journey, when he had nothing else to do but sit and think, he wanted to think only about her.

She was worth it.

Beauty was the least important of her features. She was also spirited, brave, full of life, full of emotions… Diego smiled, recalling with such fire she defended her father. And she was wise. She didn't hesitate to play little intrigues, when she thought that Ricardo was going too far with his rivalry with Zorro.

Besides, she had this exceptional expression in her eyes. As if she had some special secret, that she would reveal only to a very special person.

A mystery.

Diego thought that there are women, whose eyes show this shadow of mystery hiding in their souls. That was what he always found… fascinating.

Of course, sometimes the mystery turned out to be rather unpleasant. Diego raised his eyes, recalling Magdalena Montéz, the most beautiful agent of the Eagle he met. How furious he was to learn that such exceptional woman was involved into the treacherous intrigue! He felt cheated and disappointed. Now, however, Diego realized that his anger was gone long ago. He smiled, recalling these two days, when Magdalena visited Los Angeles. She made him feel so… alive! For a moment he thought he met his match, a woman so intelligent, witty and daring… one could never be bored with her. True, she turned out to be an evil one. But her eyes…

 _No, no, I wanted to think about Anna Maria!..._ he exclaimed silently, shaking his head.

Ashamed, he looked around as if to make sure that no one managed to read his thoughts.

To his surprise, Don Alejandro was sitting calmly by his side, reading the book that Diego put aside. He looked content and relaxed. Diego felt a sting of anxiety. It was strange, that his father was suddenly so calm. It was almost as if he was onto some of his definitely-too-risky plans.

Bernardo snoozed.

And then again. And again.

"Are you feeling well, Bernardo?" asked Diego, seeing that Bernardo was rubbing his head. Bernardo nodded with calming smile, but he looked poorly.

"Let's change places. I can drive and you'd better go and sleep at the back seat," advised Diego. When Bernardo hesitated, he urged him: "Go, go! I will gladly do something. Anything, just to occupy my thoughts with… with something else," he finished lamely.

The pensive look that Bernardo sent him was the most peculiar.


	2. At the Mission of San Luis Obispo

**II. At the Mission of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa**

Bernardo welcomed with relief the buildings of the mission of San Luis Obispo. His head was aching, his throat was sore, his entire body was achy and tired. That was his luck, to get a cold in the middle of the Californian summer! Perhaps Don Alejandro had a good idea of staying at the mission for a few days. It would give Bernardo time to rest and cure. For a few days in a soft, steady bed – instead of shaking his sore muscles in the carriage rolling over the rocky road – he was even ready to steal Phantom, according to Don Alejandro's idea. After all, Diego was good at reading trails, he would track the horse in an hour or two. And when he realized that it was a setup – which he certainly would – Don Alejandro would be the one to make explanations to his son, because Bernardo would simply return to his bed.

Moving his stiff limbs with a certain difficulty, Bernardo started to unharness the horses, when he felt Diego grabbing his arm.

"Leave it," he whispered and pulled Bernardo gently toward the entrance to the guest quarters.

Then Diego stopped one of the maids that were bustling around with laundry and cleaning utensils. "Señorita, would you please take care about my servant? He is sick and needs a good rest. And he is deaf and dumb, but understands quite well what is said to him, by reading the words from the movements of the lips."

Bernardo intended to protest – he didn't need to be pampered. However, in this moment his eyes fell on the maid and he forgot any objections he wanted to show.

It was a young, tiny girl with a large admixture of Indian blood, dark merry eyes and the loveliest dimples Bernardo had ever seen in his life. She looked like the one who goes through life with songs and laughter.

"Of course, Señor," she said with a curtsy and moved her sight to Bernardo. "Please, follow me. I will show your room and bring you some soup," she said slowly, with a clear voice. It was nice of Diego to say that Bernardo can read lips. It made communication easier… and the girl had a beautiful voice.

"I am Marisol," she added and pointed at the sky above them. "Maria del Sol. Like the sun," she laughed and Bernardo forgot about the horses and luggage.

"His name is Bernardo," said Diego with a chuckle and pushed his stunned servant to follow the girl.

Marisol led Bernardo to a small and poorly furnished, but very clean room and brought him herbal tea and some soup. He wasn't hungry, but forced himself to drink it and fell over the bed, falling asleep in a few seconds. However, before that, he managed to leave a nicely done bunch of flowers for the girl.

* * *

Diego took care of the carriage and horses. His father said that they needed to stay at the mission for a few days, due to some search through the archives he wanted to do, so Diego sent all their trunks and bags to their rooms. Of his personal luggage Diego took care himself, as it contained Zorro's full costume, including the weapons.

Then the carriage was secured and horses placed into the stables. The boys serving in the stables wanted to take care of their mounts, but Diego sent them away. He wanted to tend to the animals himself. He liked brushing the horses, it was such soothing activity that helped him relax and gather his thoughts.

To start with, he realized that he never actually thanked his father for stopping him from accepting the offer of amnesty.

If he had taken the amnesty, Zorro's attire, now hidden so carefully, could be put on display. It would be no more than a few pieces of black rags then. Once unmasked, Zorro would be dead.

 _Perhaps I am the only one who could really kill the Fox_ , thought Diego with a smile, that soon faded away. With Zorro, the part of Diego would be dead too.

 _But I would have Anna Maria,_ he recalled himself. We would marry and live together at the hacienda. Wasn't love the most important thing in life?

Suddenly Diego recalled the way she pulled back once, when they were bidding farewell and he wanted to kiss her. Anna Maria didn't love Diego de la Vega. What if revealing his secret didn't change it? They would both be trapped then – he would have no return, and she would feel obliged with his sacrifice.

 _No, she loved Zorro. She would love me,_ Diego assured himself. They would marry and live together, till the end of their days… Zorro would be no more, but they would have themselves, enjoying family happiness. Harmony. Calm. Stabilization.

Some of the _haciendados_ would doubtlessly break relations with him and Don Alejandro, disapproving of the family, whose scion used to ride as an outlaw with the price on his head. Never mind that. Many more people would respect him.

Of course, in the first months, he would also have to fight a few duels with men wanting to have their revenge for Zorro's intervention. _And I would win them all,_ thought Diego with a cocky smile. Apart from that, there would be no further problems.

 _Well, providing that Capitán Monastario – or whatever his present rank may be – would never learn about it,_ chuckled Diego.

After all, it was Monastario who declared him to be an outlaw and put a price on his head. If he heard that it was rescinded, he would foam like the geyser. To know for sure the identity of his masked enemy, and still not be able to do anything about it! Diego chuckled again, imagining the former _comandante_ tossed by the outbursts of fury. Heavens, it would be worth it to take an amnesty just to see it!

Diego fleetingly wondered whether Monastario was still in the army. Most probably he got expelled. However, if he was a free man and learnt about Zorro's – Diego's – amnesty, he would certainly return to the pueblo to take his revenge. As Diego would be a free man now, acquitted from any charges, the _capitán_ would only be able to challenge him to a duel.

He would lose it, of course, as usual. Diego smiled with delight, recalling his – or rather Zorro's - meetings with the _capitán_. Then Monastario would probably call him out, again and again, hoping that he would finally get lucky one day... Or, if that would fail, he could try some dirty tricks… Well, Diego would know how to retaliate, giving as good as he got, a trick for a trick.

 _There are big chances that we would both finish with a new price on our heads and Sergeant Garcia would turn grey trying to cope with such mess_ , chuckled Diego again.

It would be nice to have such Monastario at the pueblo. He would prevent Diego's Fox-less life from getting utterly dull.

"Ah, Diego, here you are!" exclaimed Don Alejandro entering the stables. "It is good to see you laughing again."

Diego tilted, waking up from his musings. When he realized what he just thought about, he felt a sting of shame. _For Heaven's Sake, my life with Anna Maria wouldn't be dull!_ he reproached himself. _It would be happy and… responsible. And to hell with Monastario!..._

"Yes, Father… Is everything fine with the accommodations?..." he asked hastily, trying to cover the confusion. If his father knew what he was laughing at… what would he say for such… childish approach to life!

"Yes, it is. I thought that when Bernardo is sick, I would finally get the chance to brush the horses," observed Don Alejandro.

"It seems that I just finished," muttered Diego. "Well, then, I believe I should check on Bernardo," he excused himself lamely and escaped from the scrutinizing sight of his father.

* * *

Early on the next morning, Alejandro was called by his son to the stables. Phantom's box was empty.

"I suspected that something like this could happen," said gloomily Diego. "Phantom awoke too much attention. Magnificent mount, additionally with a legend of being Zorro's horse. What a temptation for a thief!"

Alejandro bowed his head, to hide a smile. It seemed that his ruse was already working. Diego was so… concentrated. Once he discovered that Phantom was missing, he took the lead of the situation and Alejandro gladly let him. However, there was no need to get too serious…

"Do you really think he was stolen? From the stables in the mission?" asked Alejandro trying to sound dubious. "Most probably he just ran away."

Diego exited the stables and for a moment contemplated the trails on the yard. There were many traces of people's shoes and feet crossing in different directions, but as no new visitor arrived this morning to the mission and no one left it yet, there was only one trail of horse's hoofs, still clearly visible on the ground, dampened by the morning's mist.

"Then he would roam here and there, before running away," said Diego. "And the traces go straight outside."

 _Bernardo could have thought about it,_ mused Alejandro with certain irritation. He didn't want Diego to get too nervous.

"Father, why don't you talk with the stable boys?" proposed Diego. "I will just… well, I need to finish my breakfast and then I will talk with the gate-keeper brother. And the other monks. Perhaps they heard of some suspicious travelers. This may take some time so…"

Alejandro stopped his prattle, putting the hand on his son's shoulder.

"Diego," he said with a smile. "It has been quite a long time since I believed in your excuses to disappear from the place of action."

His son for a moment looked at him with confusion in his eyes but then shook his head and chuckled.

"I am sorry, Father. I got distracted. So, if you allow, I will go to… change my clothes."

Alejandro frowned, not satisfied with such development of events. To start with, he didn't want to push his son into taking unnecessary risks and putting on Zorro's disguise without real reason. Secondly, the Fox rode alone – and Alejandro wanted to search for Phantom together with his son. It had been such a long time since they made an excursion together! In Los Angeles, Diego was usually absent and in Monterey – too busy.

"Diego, I do not think that there is need to change into the Fox right now," he objected. "I told you that Phantom must have simply escaped."

"He is not a wild stallion. He would never do it."

"He is in a new place, surrounded by new people. He could get confused," persuaded Alejandro. He really wanted to go for a ride with his son. "Diego, let's search for this horse together! Involving the Fox into this would be premature and too risky. We are the owners of the lost horse, we are going to look for it."

Diego didn't seem convinced. "What if he got stolen by some band of thieves?"

Alejandro replied calmingly, trying not to give out his knowledge that such occurrence is not possible: "Then we will return and notify the authorities. Or you will change clothes and solve the problem in your way."

Diego sighed, giving up. "Do you promise not to do anything rash, Father? I cannot be too active without a mask…"

"I do solemnly promise not to do anything you would object to," replied Alejandro with a smile, content that he convinced his son to a joint escapade.

"Fine then. Just give me a moment to prepare myself."

Diego quickly strode toward their quarters and Alejandro saddled the remaining two horses for them. In the meantime, the stableman, who saw them watching the trails on the yard, came asking whether something wrong happened. Alejandro calmed him, saying that he is only going for a ride with his son. There was no need for the servants at the mission to get alarmed. It would be awful if someone thought that Bernardo was a real thief.

Diego returned after a short while. Alejandro had no idea what kind of preparations he made, as nothing changed in his outfit or appearance. Especially, his son still had no kind of weapon by his side. However, this didn't matter. They were going to do some tracking, no fighting. Bernardo, being so sick, certainly didn't lead the horse very far. They should return in an hour or two.

* * *

The trail led them behind the orchards of the mission, to the nice path leading through the rocky hills. Alejandro was glad that Bernardo chose such suitable location. The air was brisk, the morning sunny, Phantom's traces still visible…

"Strange," observed Diego. "I have never seen thieves leaving such clear trails to follow."

Alejandro bit his lips. He understood that Bernardo made sure they would find him, however, he overdid it a little. There was no need for Diego to get suspicious. He said calmingly to his son: "I told you, Phantom wasn't stolen! He simply escaped and ran down this path."

"Perhaps," muttered Diego, unconvinced. However, he voiced no further doubts. The trail was indeed clearly visible and tracking didn't require concentration. Alejandro literally saw how his son's thoughts drifted away and an absent expression again appeared on his face…

"What are you thinking about, Diego?" he finally asked directly. He knew that his son was thinking about Monterey, about Anna Maria… Well, it was time they spoke about it.

Diego, surprised by the question, almost jumped on his saddle and blinked. Then he blushed.

"I was thinking about Corporal Reyes," he said with resignation and sighed. "That makes no sense."

 _No, indeed,_ frowned Alejandro, but feared to ask about anything else. Luckily, Diego didn't sink in his deliberations again, only turned to him, starting the conversation.

"You said, Father, you stopped believing into my excuses some time ago," he observed. "Would you tell me how long have I been fooling myself in front of your eyes?"

Alejandro looked at his son with anxiety, but relaxed, seeing that Diego was smiling.

"I cannot tell you the exact moment when my suspicions turned into certainty. However, I never believed that you missed my trial organized by Monastario, because of a headache," replied Alejandro mirroring the smile of his son.

"So long," muttered Diego, with obvious discontent. "Father, you put me to shame."

He rode for a moment in silence, with lowered head, but then looked at Alejandro with a warm expression: "However, thank you for not losing the whole faith in me."

"Diego, I could believe that you became lazy, faint-hearted, even clumsy. But not that you could stop caring about me to such extent," replied Alejandro.

Diego didn't comment it, but looked at his father with gratitude.

For a moment they rode in silence. Once the path crossed the rocky slope, Diego dismounted to search for the lost trail again. Alejandro thought that they might be near the place where Bernardo hid Phantom and regretted that the excursion was so short. However, once they crossed the slope, they found the trail again, on another path, leading deeper into the sierra and further away from the road. They slowly followed it again.

"Father," after a while Diego turned to Alejandro again, but this time his expression was neither warm, nor grateful, "if you knew for so long, how could you let Galindo manipulate you into organizing that mean trap for Zorro?"

Alejandro inhaled sharply, trying to suppress irritation. _Mean trap. Mean, he said. Still, I probably deserve it._ The moment when he let Galindo use him wasn't something he was proud of.

"Ah, I had a moment of doubt!" he exclaimed. "Galindo was a clever scoundrel, he messed in my head… I didn't know what to believe in anymore. I thought that perhaps Zorro is someone else, some warmonger."

"A moment of doubt?..." repeated Diego incredulously. "That moment of doubt could have… consequences."

 _Everything we do can have consequences,_ thought Alejandro. _That's not the reason to stay idle and do nothing!_ Aloud, he defended:

"Don't you remember? I told you that it was a trap. I warned you, just in case."

Diego halted the horse. He turned to his father, looking at him with irritation. "And you thought that even knowing that it is a trap, I wouldn't come to help the boy you imprisoned?"

His son raised his voice a bit too much for Alejandro's liking. However, he forced himself to reply calmly: "I knew that if you are the Fox, once warned, you will manage to deal with a trap."

Diego's expression softened. He smiled, shook his head and rode forward. Still, Alejandro felt that his son was not done with the subject.

"We fought then," Diego observed after a while.

Alejandro sighed with irritation. He and Diego fought in many ways then. They quarreled. He didn't want to listen, even if – or perhaps because – he knew that his son was right. He used his authority, forcing Diego to silence. Finally, he and the Fox crossed blades. But what was the use of pondering all these details from the past now? Everyone makes mistakes.

"Perhaps," he muttered. "But I didn't do anything to you."

"That's not the point," in Diego's voice irritation fought with amusement. "I could have done something to you, even involuntarily."

"It's not that easy to do, even for you, my boy," replied Alejandro angrily.

Where the hell was Bernardo with this horse? He could have left Phantom in any of the valleys they were just riding through. Was he leading him back to Monterey, or what? Alejandro raised himself in stirrups and looked around, but didn't see any white shape around.

"Father…" started Diego and hesitated.

"What else?" snorted Alejandro.

"If you knew…" his son spoke quietly, looking somewhere over the horizon. "You didn't have to say what you said, when I offered Varga to bring him the list of your allies."

Now Alejandro almost jumped at the saddle. That was unfair! Diego was simply unreasonable.

"Diego, and what would you prefer me to say in Varga's presence? 'Go, Son, I know that you will manage to trick them?' It was a blessing that Varga never suspected you! That was our only chance!..."

However, his son didn't seem to have heard this little tirade. He lowered his head and said even quieter than before:

"I feared that if one of us died in this turmoil, you would never learn that… that I was not a..." Diego's voice trailed off.

Alejandro for a moment felt so terribly sorry, that he wasn't even angry anymore. Then, however, his irritation returned. What was he sorry for? He only played along the game, it was Diego who set the rules.

"Diego, are we now discussing why I have not been honest with you?..." he said bitterly. "Don't you think that your accusations are a bit out of place?"

"Father, you know that if I kept a secret from you, it was only to..." started Diego, but Alejandro interrupted him, raising his hand:

"Don't say it," he warned. "I do not want to hear a word about protection. It is the parents' task to protect children, not..."

"Quiet!" Diego suddenly interrupted him, hushing his voice. "We are close." He stopped his horse and Alejandro followed his example. However, the older de la Vega did not understand what his son was speaking about. He looked around, but the white horse was nowhere to be seen.

"Close?..." he repeated.

Diego pointed at the new, hardly visible path, crossing with the trail they were following: "The new traces. The den of the thieves must be near."

"The thieves?..." echoed Alejandro again, his eyes opening wide with surprise. There were indeed many trails, crossing with the traces of Phantom's hoofs, disappearing somewhere behind the slope. Bernardo couldn't have left them all.

But what could other people do exactly here, in such remote area?

What if someone really stole Phantom?...

"Remember, what you promised me. No rash actions," reminded him mercilessly Diego.

* * *

Bernardo woke up feeling much better than on the previous day. The soup Marisol brought him must have worked miracles. On his table he found a jug with some herbal tea, bread, cheese and fruits.

He smiled, seeing that the bouquet he left for the girl yesterday disappeared, and precisely in the same place was laying a big piece of honey cake.

After a meal he searched for Diego and Alejandro, however, he couldn't find any of them at the mission. As their horses disappeared too, it was obvious, that they went for a ride. Perfect. Perhaps if they spend some time together, Diego will slowly cheer up, Don Alejandro will calm down, and there will be no need for the plot involving Phantom and Bernardo.

Bernardo got only a bit surprised that his sorrel was missing too, but perhaps Diego took the animal with him for some reason?... Or perhaps…

He forgot about the sorrel seeing Marisol crossing the yard in front of the stables. The girl also noticed Bernardo and neared to him. Staying just in front of him, so that he could see her face, she said with a smile:

"It is good that you are feeling better. Do you want something warm to eat?"

Bernardo shook his head and reached for the basket she was keeping. She understood him immediately and smiled even wider.

"I was going to the garden for herbs. You can help me, if you want."

Of course, Bernardo wanted to help. The next hour they spent in the quiet corner of the mission's garden, wonderfully smelling with herbs, warmed up in the sun… Marisol was collecting the herbs and Bernardo made for her a wreath from thyme. She tried it on and looked perfect.

The day was perfect.

Once they returned from the garden and Marisol went to take care of her duties, Bernardo recalled himself about Diego and Don Alejandro. Why didn't they return yet? He started to wander around the mission, especially close to the gates. After some time he got lucky, as he heard one of the monks asking the gate keeping brother:

"Have you seen Señores de la Vega? They wanted to search through our archives, but none of them appeared in the office?"

"Don Alejandro de la Vega said that they are going for a ride, that should take a few hours," replied the brother.

"Ah, who could say that men after such long journey will be so eager to get into the saddles again," observed the monk and left.

Bernardo calmed himself. So, they made a longer excursion. Very well. To tell the truth, after these few days of common journey, Bernardo didn't mind spending some time on his own.

He searched for a piece of soft wood, to carve some little toy for Marisol. Perhaps a little kitten? Or the doll of Indian girl? He could make for her real clothes and add hair from fringes of his blanket. Yes, a doll was a good idea. Bernardo decided to use one of Diego's scarfs to make for her a blue dress, similar to the one that Marisol was wearing today. He would only have to search for some suitable beads to adorn it…

Bernardo had a real gift – he was never bored. Even when he traveled with Diego to this country he knew nothing about. He was never afraid of the unknown. He liked to observe new surroundings, new people… no, not like a spy. Even if he wasn't Zorro's spy, he would like to watch, because he was curious.

And he didn't need Diego to make contact with people. True, the young strong men sometimes looked down at him, treating him like a cripple. Bernardo chuckled silently, watching their noisy, brash behavior. After Diego trained him, most of them couldn't stand up to him in swordplay. As for the use of pistol, bow or slingshot, Bernardo was very good in it even before he met Diego. And adding to this his dexterous fingers and, let's say it openly, his pickpocketing skills… well, these robust, loud men were practically defenseless against little Bernardo.

Then, Bernardo never had problems with befriending people. Being a mute was not an obstacle if you were really interested in getting to know them. Bernardo always had time for others. He was ready to help, but above his help at work, people preferred the entertainment he could provide. His magic shows, merry tricks, carved toys… That was something… exceptional for hard-working people in California.

 _I am a very lucky man,_ thought Bernardo, aware of the fact that luck is not something you can win in the world, but something you carry in yourself.

He leant over the piece of wood and patiently started to carve it into a shape of a little doll.


	3. At the den of the horse thieves

**III. At the den of the horse thieves**

Diego waved for his father to leave their horses tethered amidst the bushes. Then he peeked behind the slope and noticed the path was going down into a small valley. It was so nicely hidden that it was the likely location of the thieves' camp. Diego decided to crawl quietly up the hill and check the valley from above.

He felt guilty about engaging his father in this affair. After all, he was practically certain from the beginning that Phantom was stolen and his trail would lead them to the robbers. Horse thieves weren't the worst kind of bandits marauding the Californian hills, but once confronted, they could be dangerous. Who knows what kind of man were they dealing with?... Don Alejandro shouldn't be here and Diego shouldn't be wearing his tan suit, only the outfit of the Fox. Why wasn't he more decisive at the mission?

For a moment Diego thought about turning back to the mission without investigating the valley, but that would be unwise too. They could have already been noticed.

He should have thought about it earlier, instead of making his father some stupid reproaches. What for? His father always had some faith in him, even in their worst days. Shouldn't Diego have more faith in his father?...

 _After all,_ thought Diego with consideration, _my father both appreciated what I achieved as Zorro and was ready to respect my decision to keep my second identity secret even from him. I had a solid bruise on my head proving it…_

The bruise and the moment he faced the worst fear in his life when he thought that someone finally caught him and Bernardo red-handed. However, to be honest, he had to appreciate the fact that his father, instead of addressing him openly, went to such great lengths, even provided himself with a black costume and this terrifying hood – just to respect Diego's need for secrecy.

Diego smiled and reached to help his father climb the slippery slope. Don Alejandro moved his hand aside with an angry snicker.

"I might be a fool, but I am not entirely senile yet," he muttered.

Diego frowned, surprised by his father's irritation. Why was he so shaken? It was hard to believe that some band of common horse thieves would have made on Don Alejandro such impression. It must have been the result of this unnecessarily bitter conversation they had.

"Of course not," Diego replied gently. "I am sorry if I said something harsh. However, I would never say that you are a fool."

"I would," replied his father gloomily.

 _Is he so angry at himself because of what I told him?_ wondered Diego, feeling very guilty. "Father, there is no need to…" he started slowly, but stopped, as they reached the point with the clear view of the valley behind the hill. He flattened himself on the ground, gesturing for his father to do the same, and carefully peeked down.

Just as Diego expected, there was a camp down in the valley: two small tents, indicating that someone was staying here longer than one night; one little, now very low fire, with a kettle over it; five magnificent horses, Phantom among them; and one man guarding them, with a lower part of his face hidden behind the bandana.

Diego didn't like it. Why would the man sitting alone in the remote valley cover his face?

He met the sight of his father and realized that Don Alejandro was thinking about the same.

"He knew that we were coming. He must have noticed us earlier," whispered the older de la Vega.

"Yes," replied quietly Diego. "And there must be others. Be careful, they might be watching us."

Pretending that he was still observing the valley, he shifted slightly and looked around the hill, trying to spot the rest of the band. He scanned the bushes and rocks in search for some unexpected movement or glitter of steel. After a few seconds, a sudden shiver of fig tree branches drew his attention and he spotted a silhouette stealing toward them in the shadows.

"They are trying to surround us," whispered his father who noticed it too. "The second one is on my right, behind that big rock."

Diego bit his lips, ashamed and angry. _The Fox I am, indeed! The Fox who cannot sneak to the camp of some petty thieves unnoticed!..._ He watched gloomily how the man on his right moved, sneaking behind fig trees in their direction.

"We have been too loud," he muttered. "That's my fault. I am not used to riding with someone… who speaks."

"Never mind the fault!" bridled Don Alejandro. "The problem is, I have no pistol. We will have to let them come near before we engage them in a fight. And what a pity that you have no weapons at all," he said, shifting so that he could easier reach for the blade fastened to his belt.

Diego touched his arm to stop him. "We won't engage anyone in the fight, Father. We will give up."

"What?..." Don Alejandro looked at him incredulously. "I know I gave you that promise, but do not exaggerate, Diego. You need to be cautious, true, but I think I can take two thieves on my account. You will provide only some distraction while I will deal with the first one and…"

The older de la Vega was so eager to act that Diego felt sorry having to disappoint him. He promised himself that once they reached Los Angeles, he would organize for his father a little adventure so that they would have an occasion to… have some fun together. However, this time the odds were against them.

"Father, there is the third man with a rifle, covering for these two," Diego said quietly. "Just behind that boulder," he pointed at the massive rock, no more than sixty feet from them. "Pretend to be surprised when they attack. Let them not think too high about our perceptiveness. And do nothing else but raise your hands when they demand it."

Diego corrected his jacket, making sure that his knives fastened under it are in proper place, moved slightly toward his father and waited. The bandits sneaking toward them had the grace of the bear. Diego didn't have to watch them to know how close they were, he heard them well enough.

"Father," he whispered after a while. "I am sorry."

"What? No, it is me who is sorry," muttered his father. "It was my idea."

Diego furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding, until he realized that his father was referring to their present predicament.

"No, Father, I am not speaking about these rascals. I am sorry for what I said before. And for… for everything else. For these secrets," he finished unusually clumsy.

"You don't have to, Diego," Alejandro shook his head. "We all make decisions and take actions, trying to do what's right. I would not apologize for acting according to my best judgment and I do not expect it from you."

Diego smiled. That was so much like his father! He could forgive many mistakes, apart from idleness. Each action was better than the lack of it. And yet, his father's feelings must have gone beyond this philosophy, as after a moment Don Alejandro added:

"However, Diego, it is a relief to know that you are not angry at me."

"I am not," replied quickly Diego. _How could I? You saved me_ , he wanted to add, but that wasn't necessary.

"Diego…"

"I know. They are just behind us," whispered Diego.

* * *

Alejandro watched in disbelief how calmly Diego waited for the robbers to get near them and attack. Himself, he quickly reconsidered the options. The man with the rifle posed the worst threat, the other robbers probably had firearms too.

Alejandro almost moaned with frustration. _Damn, Diego, what have I gotten you into?_ He trapped both himself and his son. If he wasn't so sure that it was Bernardo realizing his plan, he would certainly have armed himself better and forced Diego to do the same. If they had at least one pistol! They could get rid of the one with a rifle and then try to dodge the shots of the other two… But now their chances were too small. They had to yield, just as Diego said.

Still, his hand, almost against his will, wandered to the hilt of the rapier. He would have drawn out the blade if Diego didn't lean on his shoulder. For someone watching them it must have looked as if his son was seeking support to stand up, but simultaneously he forced Alejandro to push the blade into the scabbard again.

"Hey, you! Make no move!" shouted the bandit, stepping from his hiding place in front of them. His face was hidden with a rag. As expected, he held a pistol in his hand. "Now, slowly, throw your weapons in front of you," he ordered.

"I have no weapons," replied Diego, turning to the attacker and spreading his hands, showing that they are empty. Then he slowly stood up, shifting in such way that he shielded his father from a possible shot.

Alejandro felt almost humiliated with this gesture. He couldn't… agree with Diego protecting him. He meant what he said – parents should protect their children, not vice versa. He gathered to his feet, too quickly for the bandit's liking.

"You too, old man, don't move," warned the thief, nearing to him with the pistol in the outstretched hand. Diego blocked his way almost touching the weapon.

"Slowly," he said. "You do not want to shoot us."

"How can you be so sure?" asked mockingly the bandit.

"Because you cover your face," replied Diego. "If you intended to kill us, you wouldn't bother."

Despite the dire circumstances, Alejandro looked at his son with admiration. He heard about Zorro's exploits – and many of them he saw himself – he knew that his son was a brave fighter. However, to see Diego, unarmed, speaking with such composure to the man holding him at gunpoint – that was a different, even more impressive type of courage. _When did he become so strong?_ wondered Alejandro.

"How very clever," sneered the second bandit, leaving the shelter behind the rock. He was also holding a pistol and covered his face, but Alejandro recognized him anyway – that was the man who talked with him at their first night's rest and watched Phantom in the corral. So they followed them all the way to the mission!

"Seems we found the den of the horse thieves," Alejandro said angrily. "You scoundrels, did you think that we won't search for our property?"

"Stop barking, old man," snapped the bandit. "And throw away your weapon."

Alejandro bridled, unwilling to obey.

"Do it," ordered quietly Diego. "You promised," he urged him, seeing that his father hesitated.

"Not exactly," muttered Alejandro. "I promised not to do anything you won't approve. I didn't promise to do…"

Impatient, Diego retrieved his father's rapier from the sheath and threw it toward the bandits. The men tensed at his sudden gesture, but then relaxed.

"Fine," said one of them. "Very wise. Now go down to the camp, we will talk down there. But do not try any tricks."

"We will go," nodded Diego. "Just stop aiming this pistol at my father. You are making me nervous," he said to the man who was keeping Alejandro at a gunpoint. "Aim it at me, if you want, but not at him."

He said it so… casually – and yet his tone made even Alejandro frown a little. The bandit lowered his pistol and, as if trying to cover his confusion, motioned for them to go down the slope.

"No tricks, or you will regret it," he repeated only.

"Tie their hands first. At least the young one's," called the third man, the one with the rifle, that was sitting behind the boulders at the top of the hill.

"So that I would have to gather him from the path each time he falls?" replied one of the bandits escorting them, pointing at Diego, who just tripped over the steep path and held to some tree seeking support. "I will do that in the camp."

Alejandro noticed something like a satisfied glitter in Diego's eyes when the bandit with the rifle left his vantage point and started to climb down with them. And that grin his son tried to hide when he stumbled at the rocks…

 _He's having fun,_ realized Alejandro. _He is worried only about me. Apart from that, he is almost toying with these men._

The older de la Vega for a moment wanted to scold his son for being so… childish and reckless.

 _I must remember, that he is Zorro,_ he reminded himself. _He knows how to cope with bandits as these._

But then, walking down the slope behind Diego, amidst the robbers holding his son at a gunpoint, Alejandro understood that his fear for his son had nothing to do with Diego being the Fox, or not, or with his fighting skills or lack of them.

 _He was such a wild boy,_ recalled Alejandro. _I called him a true de la Vega and announced that I am proud of his adventurous spirit, but deep inside I feared so much that he will finally break his neck during one of his escapades…_ And if Alejandro didn't manage to protect Diego from the consequences of his bravery, how would he explain it to his Isabella when they finally would meet again in the afterlife?

Then Diego left to Spain. Alejandro knew that his son was mature and clever enough to cope during the long journey and unassisted stay in a distant country. However, he always felt a fear that some incident, mishap, illness would happen and that any letter informing him about it would reach his hands many months too late so that he could assist his son.

But Diego returned happily – and became so calm, so reasonable. Never taking anything sharp into his hands. Always riding only the meek horses. And still, Alejandro couldn't stop worrying about him.

He recalled with a cold shiver the times when Monastario ruled in Los Angeles. At the culmination of their conflict, Monastario shot him. Zorro tried to help, but in the worst moment, Alejandro was able to think only about Diego. How much he feared that Monastario, enraged that older de la Vega escaped him, would take revenge on his son! Even in delirium, caused by an infected wound, he felt that the _comandante_ rode to their hacienda. The fear for his son made him leave the safe shelter of Zorro's cave and search for Monastario, to stop him, before he could hurt Diego.

When Diego came later to see him in the _cuartel's_ cell, so unsure, running his eye with shame, explaining that he couldn't have helped because lancers were guarding him all the time, Alejandro was the happiest man in the world, seeing him unharmed and healthy.

And then he realized that his son was Zorro.

 _It is good, that my hair is white already, because I would turn grey in one day,_ he thought with a smirk.

 _But if he truly were a pacifistic scholar, I would worry the same,_ Alejandro admitted after a while. _He lives by the risk, but at least he knows how to cope with it._

Anyway, Diego would say that it was not a sin to worry, but it would be a sin to show it. Once they reached the camp, Alejandro was calm and concentrated, searching for options. And he wasn't going to let his son shield him again.

When Phantom saw Diego, he reared high, neighing nervously.

"Easy, boy! Easy!" called Diego, but the horse remained restless. His anxiety spread to the other animals, held in the small, provisional corral in the valley. Alejandro for a moment stopped, captivated by the view of magnificent animals rearing and shaking their manes.

"What horses! You know how to choose your loot, you rascals," he said to the bandits with disdain. "Still, they are stolen. Each respected breeder would ask where they came from. You will be able to sell them only to such scum as you, for one-fifth of their real value."

"You will be surprised, old man," one of the thieves chuckled unpleasantly.

"Ah, now I understand! That was all a setup!" exclaimed Diego with angry glitter in his eyes. "That trail, so comfortably visible, you waiting in hiding on this hill… once we appeared, you do not need to keep watch any longer, right?" he turned with a smirk to the man with a rifle.

"You see? I told you that he is clever," commented one of the bandits. "No need to explain anything."

"Diego?..." asked Alejandro, not understanding.

"We walked straight to the trap, Father," said Diego, looking very ashamed. "They left the clear trail purposefully, knowing that we will follow the horse. Then they waited for us to come... No doubt they did the same to previous owners of the other four horses."

Seeing that his father still did not comprehend, Diego explained with a sigh: "They will want us to sign the sale contract."

"Bravo, Señor!" called one of the thieves ironically. "Doing business with such shrewd man is a pleasure. You only forgot about breeding papers. As your horse was not a wild stallion, you certainly received them from the previous owner. We would need them too."

 _Damn it._ Alejandro curse silently. They walked straight into the trap, true, and it was all his fault. Diego was wary from the beginning. If he didn't listen to his father, he wouldn't get caught so easily. And it was all because Alejandro wanted to play some silly game with his son. _Damn it._

Alejandro looked around helplessly. There were four bandits against them now – two, who held them at the hill, with pistols. The one with the rifle. Only the one who was guarding the horses had no firearms. Besides, all had sabers or knives.

The only good thing was that the bandits, bragging about their scheme, eventually forgot to tie their hands. Still, it didn't help much. Alejandro had to admit that they were in disadvantage. _Now it is the moment for some trick, Diego,_ he asked silently.

"You are not some petty thieves," observed Diego. "You indeed chose the horses carefully. You make the full inquiry, right? That's why you cover your faces, to be able to walk freely, pretending to be horse breeders, asking questions..."

"And then we make on the one horse a bigger profit than the common thief would make from a herd," said one of the men proudly. "When we have the legal contract and the breeding papers…"

Alejandro felt the blood in his veins boiling. Horse theft alone was a mean crime, but this? This was a perfidious, disgusting swindle, preying both on the rightful owners and on the buyers of the stolen animals. Even he, acting in the best faith, could later buy such extorted horse. That would be even worse than being the victim of the theft!

"Well, unless you kill us, do not hope that even if I signed such contract – which I won't – I wouldn't report it to the authorities as extortion!" he shouted.

"Great going, Father," muttered Diego. "You are a born diplomat."

Alejandro, realizing what he said, looked at his son guilty and abashed, but instead of reproach he saw merry sparks in Diego's eyes. Was his son really not afraid of their situation – or did he only pretend not to be?...

"It is tempting, that part about killing. It seems you recognized us, Señor," said the man with the rifle gravely, turning to Diego. "You know we talked with your father in the tavern and with you on the road, don't you?... Perhaps we should resign from profit this time and just get rid of you."

Phantom reared high again, neighing even louder than before. Alejandro thought with awe that this animal understands what is spoken around him – at least when it referred to his master.

"Easy, boy," repeated Diego calmingly, but Phantom kept rearing, as if he wanted to force the corral.

"No, this white horse is worth a fortune. I won't resign from it," said another thief, the one who was guarding the horses. He took voice for the first time, but from his commanding tone and the way the others looked at him, Alejandro realized that he must be their leader. "Once you sign the contract, you are free to go," he said calmly. "And you, Señor, can report it to the authorities. Before you manage to reach any presidio, we will be far away. We will sell the horse at the north."

"No way…" started Alejandro, but Diego stopped him, putting the hand on his shoulder.

"I will sign the contract, but I do not trust you. First let my father go," he said.

Alejandro bridled with irritation. "Stop treating me as a cripple, Diego. I am not going anywhere. I know, I know, I promised," he defended, seeing his son's glance. "Still, you are stretching the limits of my patience. Have some respect."

"Only out of respect I won't comment on what you are doing," hissed Diego, his tone being far from respectful.

"Señores, there is no need for this discussion," interjected the bandits' leader. "Our inquiry pays off. We know it is the older Señor de la Vega, who is the owner of the horse. He must sign the contract."

"And I refuse to be a subject to such extortion," replied proudly Alejandro.

He saw how Diego shook his head with resignation and corrected the laps of his jacket. Somehow, this innocent gesture made Alejandro's watchfulness grow.

The bandits didn't notice anything, as they exchanged knowing glances.

"Indeed? Everyone says so at the beginning," stated the leader. "You would be surprised how quickly people change their mind. It is much easier with the families," he said with an unpleasant tone in his voice and nodded to his companion.

"I think that you will sign this contract very quickly, old man," said the bandit and raised his rifle, taking aim at Diego.

That was a mistake, but how could he know that Lieutenant Santos was killed by the rifle shot?

Phantom went mad.

He didn't neigh anymore, only made some thrilling, piercing sound, raised his hoofs and, falling down, hit the beam of the corral with all his weight. The provisional bar went down with a loud clatter. Phantom was free, and his hoofs suddenly hung over the head of the robber.

"Stop, Phantom! Stop!" called Diego, but the horse was beyond control now. He danced on his rear legs, towering over the scared people like a furious white beast.

"Stop aiming at me, you idiot!" Diego shouted to the bandit with despair. However, the man, paralyzed with fear, froze with the weapon in his hand, watching with horror how the hoofs fell over his head.

In the last moment, he fired the rifle. The shot went wide, but Phantom's panic grew. He neighed, baring his teeth and reared, tossing himself around. The other horses followed him, even if not with such vehement rage.

"Phantom! I am fine! Stop it!" called Diego, diving under the horse's hoofs in an attempt to catch the animal's neck.

For a moment Alejandro froze, fearing that his son would get trampled, just like the bandit. Then, however, he realized that he must use the moment of distraction. The remaining three thieves stood stupefied, staring with horror at the raging animal. Alejandro with one quick gesture pulled the pistol out from the hand of the man standing nearest to him and then knocked the man down with a strong blow of the heavy barrel.

That drew the attention of the bandits' leader. Circling the raging horses, he ran toward Alejandro with drawn saber. The older de la Vega fired the pistol on him, but missed.

For a moment he stood defenseless in front of the attacker raising the saber against him, having only the time to think that he wouldn't manage to dodge. However, the saber thrust didn't happen, as the man suddenly cried and crouched down, the red stain quickly growing around the knife that hit his shoulder. The bandit curled helpless on the ground, moaning with pain.

Alejandro turned back, meeting Diego's sight. He nodded, letting his son know he was fine and Diego returned the attention to the horse again. This time he managed to grasp the white mane and pressed himself to the animal's neck.

"Easy, Phantom," he said tenderly. The horse slowly relented and gave up to the caress.

Alejandro looked around, searching for the fourth bandit. The man withdrew and stood aside, terrified with the development of the events. However, he was still keeping the pistol in his hand and slowly raised it, shifting the aim from Diego to Phantom.

Acting on impulse, Alejandro took the discarded rifle from the ground and aimed at him.

"Just give up," he commanded. "You have no chances."

The man for a moment stared at him with scared eyes until he threw his pistol on the ground.

"Fine," he whispered, his lips white with fear, and pointed at Phantom. "Just take me away from this demon."

"I warned you, he is not for sale," quipped Alejandro, binding the man's hands with a piece of torn harness he found near the broken corral.

Then he cast a quick glance at Phantom. The other horses ran around the valley, but the white stallion stood, tired, nervously shaking his mane. The were shivers still running through his body, but he calmed down with each second.

"Phantom," said quietly Diego, stroking his nose.

Finally he patted his neck, saying merrily: "Stay calm," and neared to the thieves' leader.

"You are bleeding. I will dress your wound," he said. "But if you try to fight, I will knock you down."

The man nodded, even if anger was burning in his eyes. "You wouldn't have defeated us, had it not been for this horse," he muttered gloomily.

"No, we wouldn't," agreed Diego. "This time you have chosen the wrong horse, despite your inquiry."

Alejandro in the meantime checked on two bandits lying motionlessly on the ground. The one whom he knocked down with the pistol was simply unconscious. The older de la Vega moved to the one that fell under Phantom's hoofs.

"Is he dead?" asked Diego with a strange edge in his voice.

"No," replied Alejandro after examining the man's skull. "And he has no fractures. It must be no more than a concussion."

"Thank God," sighed his son with relief. "I feared that Phantom killed him. It is not good for the domestic animal when it kills the man. It could… change him."

Alejandro nodded slowly. Of course, Diego was right. However… somehow, Alejandro found it a bit surprising that his son worried for this man's life mostly, because he was concerned about Phantom.

He looked at Diego putting the dressing on the shoulder of the wounded man. His son was so… calm. Dirty, stained with blood – and still so composed. He took part in the quick, but violent battle and remained unmoved by all its turmoil.

Diego – his gentle son, always so sensitive and subtle…

 _Diego didn't want to kill any of these men, but if it did happen, he would simply accept it,_ thought Alejandro, realizing once again, that his son changed in many ways he still needs to learn.

 _He is the Fox. It is not only the heroism, but also violence. He is used to violence._

Never before did Alejandro wonder how the fights that Zorro took part could have affected his son. Perhaps he should have done it. With, or without the mask, Diego was still the same man. He couldn't simply put away his experiences just easily as the black cape.

But no, Diego wasn't insensitive or gloomy. _In spite of everything… he is always kind-hearted, caring for others and serene_ , thought Alejandro with a smile. _And I will do my best to keep him that way._

Diego was unaware of his father's deliberations. He finished dressing the bandit's shoulder and tied his hands. Then he neared to Alejandro with a merry grin.

"Bravo, Father. To threaten the man to surrender with an unloaded rifle is a daring exploit," he chuckled.

Alejandro smiled unsurely. In the fervor of the fight he forgot that the rifle was already shot. However, he didn't admit it to Diego, only reciprocated the compliment.

"This knife's throw was also very much in time. You could have told me earlier that you are not defenseless, I wouldn't worry so much."

"I thought that's obvious," Diego shrugged his shoulders.

 _Nothing is obvious when it concerns you, my son._

"Come, Diego," sighed Alejandro. "We have plenty of things to do. We must catch these horses. Then we have to inform the lancers' outpost about these men, so that they take them into custody… But Diego," the older de la Vega turned to his son with anxiety and asked in a hushed voice, "what are we going to say to the lancers? These bandits are so scared that they will only speak about the demon that possessed the white horse, but soldiers would require a more precise report!"

"That's a funny thing, Father," said Diego with pensiveness, "but I think we can say the truth. I didn't even touch any of these men. I was only trying to calm the horse."


	4. From San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles

**IV. From San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles**

On the morning when they were leaving the Mission of San Luis Obispo to continue their travel back home, Alejandro was surprised to see that this time Diego was ready first.

"Good morning, son," greeted Alejandro, nearing to the carriage. "You got up early! If Bernardo is ready too, we can set off."

"I think that Bernardo might need more time," replied Diego evasively.

"Is he still sick?" worried the older de la Vega. "I didn't see much of Bernardo in these days we spent here. Perhaps I should have checked on him more often."

"Oh, no, I am sure that he is all right. Let's just give him some time."

"Fine. It seems that each time I am bound to wait for one of you two," said Alejandro, signing with a smile that he is only joking and got into the carriage. Diego sat by his side. While doing this, his son took a closer look at the adornments on his suit and grimaced.

"This embroidery goes off too easily," he noticed, rubbing the richly ornate laps of his jacket. "This is only the second time I have worn it and most of the beads are missing."

Alejandro passed over his son's suit with a fleeting, rather unfriendly glance.

"These beads are hideous. The less of them you have on you, the better," he said. "Besides, this outfit is not suitable for travel."

Diego sounded slightly offended, when he replied: "These 'hideous' embroideries are made from Venetian glass and Austrian crystals. I like them."

Alejandro cast at him a quick, confused glance. Damn, he didn't want to quarrel over some silly stones… crystals… whatever. He almost started to apologize, when his son let the serious expression go and chuckled.

"I am teasing. They are hideous," he admitted. "But, Father, I have a reputation to maintain!"

"Indeed," laughed Alejandro. He looked at Diego with amusement.

Well, that was his gentle son again, the one always surrounded by refined objects of beauty and comfort, nicely rimmed books of poetry, carved crystal glasses, nacre inlaid guitars, all these peacock suits… Alejandro didn't keep luxury for something shameful. On the contrary, he also liked to have the things of quality around him. That was natural for the man of his status, and that status was connected with responsibility and social duties, if he tried to live too modestly, it would seem that he is trying to escape his responsibilities.

However, the objects, even the most artistic ones, shouldn't cover the things that really matter. That was his worry some time ago – that Diego's all interests are so… shallow. It was a relief to realize, that for his son it is just another disguise, just like Zorro's black outfit.

"How went your research in the archives?" asked suddenly Diego. "I forgot to ask, what exactly was it about? Did you find everything?"

"Yes, I could say so," muttered Alejandro, averting his sight. Unfortunately, he forgot about the excuse he mentioned to Diego when they arrived at the mission. After their encounter with the horse thieves, there was so much to do!

To start with, they had to notify the nearest military outpost. Luckily, the soldiers were even more sleepy than Corporal Reyes himself and not too inquisitive. They presupposed that Señores de la Vega must have been traveling in the numerous company of guards and servants and when Alejandro said that they had overpowered the band of horse thieves, they attributed this achievement to their aids.

Alejandro didn't lie, he only didn't correct that assumption.

On the occasion of speaking with the lancers, Diego dolled himself up as if he was going to court the daintiest señorita in Madrid. He looked so refined that the soldiers didn't even dare to ask him any questions.

Alejandro found it very amusing. He even asked his son a few times whether he is not too fatigued, which finally earned him an irritated glare from Diego.

The remaining four stolen horses were to be sent to their rightful owners. They were easy to locate, thanks to the bandits' care for proper paperwork.

The band of thieves was sent to Monterey. When Alejandro saw them for the last time, they were still whispering something about the white demon. It was very likely that regardless of their punishment, they wouldn't touch any horse in the future.

"I wonder how our adventure would end if Phantom weren't so combative," said Alejandro with pensiveness. "What would you do, Diego?"

"I would send you away from these men and then try some tricks," Diego shrugged his shoulders. "Alas, you are even more combative than Phantom."

"Well, son, you must get accustomed to using your tricks in my presence, because I am not going to let you send me away anywhere," said Alejandro fiercely.

Diego smiled. "I will, I promise," he said only.

* * *

Bernardo ran quickly to the carriage and climbed onto his place. He fleetingly noticed some commotion behind his back, as if Don Alejandro wanted to say something and Diego stopped him, but he didn't pay to it too much attention only grabbed the reins. They should have set off a long time ago.

However, he had to say goodbye to Marisol, a goodbye that involved flowers and a few magic tricks.

She laughed at them in such a lovely way. Bernardo knew that even when the time erases him from her memories, she would still remember his magic tricks.

Once he hurried the horses and the carriage set off, Bernardo heard Diego asking with sham concern:

"Are you feeling well, Bernardo? We were worried about you. Perhaps we should have stayed at the mission for a few more days to make sure that you are properly cured?"

Bernardo nodded with a wide smile. Then he realized that Diego is grinning merrily and pouted, turning back to the horses.

"I have been wondering what we should say about Phantom in Los Angeles," said Don Alejandro after a while. "I do not want processions of curious men around my stables."

"We cannot hide his past… Sergeant Garcia will probably recognize him," replied Diego.

Alejandro snorted with disdain: "Bah! Sergeant Garcia wouldn't recognize his own horse if he met him outside the _cuartel_."

"You know that you just sounded like… no, you do not want to know like who…" muttered his son. "Sergeant Garcia is a good man. Anyway, I do not think that it would be wise to say that Phantom is not… Phantom. I mean, the horse that Zorro rode. Too many lies are difficult to handle."

Bernardo turned back to them. Keeping the reins in one hand, he started to sign.

"I know, I know…" sighed Diego and, seeing the questioning glance of his father, explained. "Bernardo is worried about too many similarities. Both Zorro and I courted the same señorita… Now I am coming back home with the same horse that Zorro used to ride in Monterey…"

"Thank God with the horse and not with the girl," muttered Don Alejandro.

"Father!" exclaimed Diego with indignation.

His father, looking very guilty, excused himself quickly: "I am sorry, Diego, I am sorry. My words were very improper. She is, of course, a very nice… child. But please, do not expect me to keep high opinion about a girl who discarded my son for… some outlaw."

"That's very kind of you," replied dryly Diego.

Bernardo bit his lips. Out of loyalty to his friend he wasn't going to laugh. Himself, he didn't think wrong about Anna Maria. She was very pretty, full of life and Diego enjoyed her company. However, Señorita Verdugo sometimes lacked consideration. Bernardo wasn't sure if someone so prone to act on impulse would be a good keeper of Zorro's secret.

No, wait, if Diego would have taken an amnesty for her, the Zorro's secret would be no more. No, that was something that Bernardo could never forgive her.

After all, in some part, Zorro was also Bernardo. That was something that Bernardo didn't want to lose.

He shook his head to forget the past and concentrated on the present. Turning back to Diego and his father, he signed in a few gestures Garcia's belly and chubby face.

"Right, Garcia. What are we going to do about him?" asked Don Alejandro.

"There is nothing I can do about the similarities between my and Zorro's… behavior in Monterey. Perhaps I let things get out of control a bit, acting so openly," sighed Diego. "Luckily, Anna Maria had also many other admirers, Ricardo being the loudest and most visible," he smirked. "Let's hope that my courtship would quickly be forgotten, outshone by his gallantry."

 _Well, even Señor del Amo can be of use,_ mused Bernardo. Not that he didn't like Don Ricardo. He was a very dashing young man, whose soul didn't lose the boyish spark of fantasy. However, he was much too skillful with the whip. Bernardo might have been only a little mute servant, but even he didn't like to be outdone in the areas where he thought of himself to be a master.

"I can think of only one precaution that I could take," continued Diego. "I will definitely have to wait a few weeks before riding as Zorro in Los Angeles. That should be enough to dispel associations that the Fox and I traveled in the same time."

Bernardo noticed that when his friend spoke about refraining himself from riding as Zorro, his voice trembled slightly. If in the meantime something happened at the pueblo, something that would escape the official justice, the capacities of military forces or the persuasion of Diego de la Vega… Ah, it would be very difficult for his friend to sit idly without using the assistance of the Fox. But perhaps thanks to such waiting period Diego would learn once and for all, that resigning from Zorro's mask for his whole life was a bad idea…

"As for the horse… Father, tell the truth," concluded Diego. "You saw a splendid horse and you decided to buy it. Sometimes the best place to hide something is in a plain sight."

"Well, if someone knows something about that, it is certainly you two," Don Alejandro smiled to both Bernardo and his son.

* * *

The journey to Los Angeles was soothingly uneventful. Diego more and more often thought about Los Angeles, the hacienda, Tornado. He wondered how much had changed at the pueblo and at their rancho during the weeks he spent in Monterey.

 _Travelling is good if it ends by bringing you home afterward,_ he thought.

Of course, he still felt the sting of pain that he was returning without Anna Maria. However, that was something he would have to learn to live with.

The other thing that troubled him was that in Los Angeles he won't have many occasions to ride with Phantom. He tried to make up for it as long as he could do it freely and, as a result, most of the time he spent on the saddle. He wasn't sure whether his father minded that he was not keeping him company, but Don Alejandro only smiled with indulgence and read Diego's books or joked with Bernardo.

After their second night stop Diego decided to go for the last long ride on Phantom and then move to the carriage for the rest of the journey, as they were already close enough to Los Angeles.

"Good morning, boy," Diego rubbed Phantom's nose, treating him with a piece of apple. "We will be soon home. You will like Los Angeles."

He said goodbye to his father and Bernardo, promising to meet them at noon in the next tavern and slowly throttled onto the road. Once he got at some distance from the buildings, he let the horse run faster. Feeling the wind on his face, he thought of a moment when he first men Phantom. He was captivated from the first second by this beautiful horse. So swift and so wise. And so faithful.

"You are a very special horse," whispered Diego leaning over the horse's neck. "I am honored by your friendship."

The day he first met Phantom was also the day when he for the first time bid farewell to Anna Maria. How dejected he was then! He had a feeling that they had to part too soon, their acquaintance was far too brief, there was no time for many things, that should happen between them…

Some of these things happened later, some were never to happen.

Diego realized that he bid farewell to Anna Maria three times altogether. The second time was when she left with her father, supposedly going with him to Spain. Third time – a few days ago, when he and his father paid her a goodbye visit before leaving Monterey.

It seemed that the third time would be a charm.

For a short second during this last meeting Diego was tempted to tell her the truth just to prevent them from parting. However, when she looked at him, her eyes were no more than friendly and calm, her words polite, but rather formal. She said she would be missing his company, but he knew that she won't dedicate too many thoughts to him. All in all, Diego didn't dare to tell her anything but goodbye.

Now he thought about another farewell – the one he took with her wearing Zorro's mask. He tried to recall what he told her, hoping that, followed by the emotions of the moment, he didn't say anything that would make her wait for him. That wouldn't be fair. He was going to remember her forever – the loveliest, the brightest girl in Monterey – but he wasn't going back to her.

 _She wouldn't love Diego de la Vega, no matter what,_ finally admitted Diego. He could only be ashamed that despite praising himself to be such a good observer of human nature, he failed to realize that earlier.

 _And I could lose Zorro,_ he realized with a chill. _That would be the worst mistake. I would pay for it a bitter price till the end of my days._

Which, probably, wouldn't take that long. Thinking soberly, his life without Zorro wouldn't be safer, on the contrary. With or without the mask, he was still the same man. He could never accept the injustice and harm being done in his presence. He wouldn't be able to agree that there was nothing he could do to mend it. Without Zorro he would be forced as himself. Garcia would be on his side, that was certain, but what about other officials and soldiers? What about the haughty _haciendados_?... Probably Diego would win a few duels, issue a few cases to the courts, make a few appeals to the governor or even the viceroy… Finally his temper would take over him in a wrong moment, he would stand up to fight some hopeless battle, get himself killed or arrested and executed.

It was so much safer to have a Fox.

Diego smiled, shaking off the gloomy thoughts. Perhaps that offer of amnesty was the greatest threat he had to face since returning to California, but it was over now.

And even if the hopes of his heart were disappointed, some things improved. He was finally finished with secrets between him and his father. And he had Phantom.

"Go, Phantom," he spurred the horse. "Go as swift as you like. Who knows what adventures await us behind the turn of the road?"

* * *

When Don Alejandro and Bernardo neared to the tavern in which they intended to spend the siesta, they froze seeing two very familiar silhouettes in lancers' uniforms.

One silhouette was big and wide, the second one small and droopy.

"Buenos días, Don Alejandro!" exclaimed joyously Sergeant Garcia. "And hello to you too, little one! What a lucky chance!"

Bernardo smiled unsurely greeting Sergeant Garcia and Corporal Reyes. Any moment Diego could arrive at the inn on Phantom. Perhaps he would not only arrive – perhaps he would even gallop into it, using one of the last chances to show off a little.

"And Don Diego is not travelling with you?" asked the sergeant craning his neck to see the carriage.

"Of course that he is," replied Don Alejandro unabashed. "Sergeant, Corporal, it is nice to meet you. Please, let's go inside. I need to rest, eat and drink something. I hope that you will agree to be my guests."

"But of course!" nodded eagerly Garcia, for a moment forgetting everything else except the prospect of refreshments.

Bernardo intended to wait outside for Diego's return to warn him. However, it turned out that he underestimated his friend. As soon as Don Alejandro and the lancers neared to the tavern's door, it flung open and Diego greeted them at the threshold.

"Sergeant! Corporal! It is good to see you. But why aren't you at Señorita's Bastinado's rancho?"

"That's a long story, Don Diego," sighed the sergeant.

"Long and sad," echoed the corporal.

"Then let's better start with some food and wine. Sad stories shouldn't be said at the empty stomach."

The soldiers eagerly entered. Behind their back, Don Alejandro complimented his son with approving nod – Diego's appearance was neat as usual and not even one fleck of dust would betray that he was riding on horseback instead of sitting on the soft cushions of the carriage.

The food in the tavern was simple, but tasty and the travelers enjoyed the solid, long meal. After that, on the occasion of the happy meeting, Don Diego retrieved from his luggage a bottle of brandy and the box with his favorite cigars and soon the company sunk in the clouds of aromatic smoke. There were no other guests and no one disturbed them when the sergeant started his tale.

"All the misfortunes we suffered in the last week started with that old Gypsy woman we met just on the outskirts of Monterey, in the first hour of the journey. Woman? It was a witch, wrinkled and slouchy, covered with filthy rags, but it was enough to look in her eyes to know that she was consorting with the forces of evil!" The sergeant hung his voice for better impression and finished: "She cursed me."

"No!..." gasped Diego with an expression of perfect fright, even if he lowered his sight to hide the merry sparks. Don Alejandro rolled his eyes.

"Actually, she didn't curse you, Sergeant," objected slowly the corporal. "She cursed, because some carriage splashed her with the water from the puddle, but she didn't even look at you."

Garcia turned to him with indignation. "Of course she did! Otherwise, all these things wouldn't happen."

"Sergeant – what things?..." urged him Don Alejandro, shifting impatiently on his seat.

"Well, we continued our journey, though perhaps we shouldn't. And then, just near Soledad we met Señorita Bastinado. She was riding to San Francisco on some business that couldn't be delayed. She didn't even want to stop for supper," related Garcia with still vivid disappointment.

"Nor for a dance," sighed Reyes.

"It is sad, but still not tragic," observed Diego. "Did something else happen to you, Sergeant? Tell us about it," he smiled encouragingly.

Bernardo knew that this smile was sincere. 'Sergeant Garcia is a good man', repeated Diego so many times to his father and to others. He cared for the kind-hearted soldier and – what's perhaps more important – he always believed in him. Now there was a real concern in Diego's eyes, when he waited for Garcia to reply.

"Before we reached the next night's stop, I realized that my pouch was stolen," Garcia confessed, his chubby face clouding with dejected expression. "I didn't catch the culprit, but I am certain that it was one of these young lads wandering around in Soledad," he sighed.

Bernardo kept the neutral face not acknowledging that he heard the sergeant, but he was taken with compassion. It was twice as painful for a lancer to fall victim to a petty thief. He quickly filled the sergeant's glass, for which he was rewarded with thankful nod.

"And I think you didn't have to wave your pouch around in the tavern, for everyone to see, when you tried to impress Señorita Bastinado," Reyes apparently felt no compassion for his superior. "And this must have been this tavern dancer that later sat on your knees. Why would she do it otherwise?"

"Stupid! That was very decent girl! She sat on my knees, because she found me handsome," Garcia smoothed his moustache, for a moment forgetting about his sad adventure.

Don Alejandro snickered with irritation and opened his mouth to say something but then gave up with a resigned sigh. Bernardo suspected that the older de la Vega intended to comment rather harshly on the lancers who, instead of guarding the safety of the citizens, let themselves be duped like newborns. Luckily compassion, supported by Diego's meaningful glance, won in the soul of the strong-willed _haciendado_.

"I am sorry to hear that you had such difficult adventure, Sergeant," Diego patted consolingly Garcia's shoulder. "I guess it wasn't easy. How did you manage to travel without the resources?"

"My money wasn't stolen," replied the corporal. "At least not by the thieves," he added, sending gloomy glance toward the sergeant.

"Yes. But until the corporal cared to admit that he still has his pouch, we spent one night sleeping in the open, as we couldn't afford the tavern. And we drank water," retorted bitingly Garcia.

Don Alejandro for the second time snorted with irritation. This time he couldn't refrain himself from a comment. "There is nothing wrong with drinking water, Sergeant."

"This water was wrong, very wrong, Don Alejandro," replied Garcia with somber face. "I got sick for two days after a few sips."

"I told you, Sergeant, to drink from the stream, not from the pond," the corporal rolled his eyes.

"I am not the expert on water." Garcia shrugged his shoulders. He shivered at the unpleasant memories and took a big gulp of his brandy. It must have helped, as after a while he looked at them with more cheerful expression and asked: "And what about you, Señores? How was your travel?"

"Well, nothing that dramatic happened," replied casually Diego, swirling the remaining brandy in his glass. "However, Sergeant, your story made me aware of the dangers lurking for travelers. I would appreciate if we could travel together the rest of the way to Los Angeles. I would feel safer."

"Oh, yes, please Don Diego! It would be certainly safer to travel with you!" beamed hopefully Corporal Reyes. He quickly silenced under the menacing glance of his superior.

Sergeant Garcia straightened, corrected the jacked over his impressive belly and replied solemnly: "Of course, Don Diego, I would be happy to provide an escort."

"An escort? We don't need…" Don Alejandro blinked with indignation, but quickly corrected himself: "Ah… That's very thoughtful of you."

Bernardo smiled silently. He liked the sergeant. How could he not like him? Garcia always noticed Bernardo and treated him as courteously as he treated the de la Vegas. Even when he became the acting _comandante_ of Los Angeles he never failed to great him with a smile. Not many officers would even notice the servant.

And Garcia? No matter whether he served as a pushover for such men as Monastario or Galindo, or whether he acted as the independent _comandante_ for the whole Los Angeles, he was always the same. Kind-hearted and polite to everyone, no matter his status.

The sergeant was only too trusting, too easy to manipulate. That made him an easy prey for all kind of evildoers. Of course, Diego used it too, as shamelessly as the sergeant used the de la Vegas' hospitality and credit in the taverns. However, Garcia's naivety was as much a convenience for a Fox as a source of troubles, when Zorro had to save his friend from different predicaments he drew onto himself.

"Your journey was difficult, Sergeant," said Diego. "But think, that in no more than a day you will be home again, in your old quarters…"

"Yes, I am glad I am returning home," sighed Garcia. "Only two weeks ago I wouldn't have believed it. I already lost all hopes for it."

Diego crinkled his eyebrows. "What do you mean? I thought it was settled that your commission to Monterey was a temporary one."

"At first it was," nodded the sergeant. "But then, Señor Rico refused to let us go home, even after the corporal's shoulder had healed. And when Señor Rico and Capitán Briones were… ah, taken care of… I asked the governor's permission to return to my position in Los Angeles. However, I must have chosen the bad moment."

"Yes, you did," chimed in Reyes, with certain reproach. "The governor had just made peace with Joaquin Castenada, but was still quite angry at the Fox for forcing him to follow his advice…"

"Perhaps he was, Corporal. It is not easy to accept the solution forced by the others, even if we know that they are right," agreed Diego.

Only Bernardo noticed how Don Alejandro tensed, hearing these words. Probably Diego said them with no double meaning. For him, the matter of untaken amnesty was over. However, being a father came with a bigger price. Long after Diego would forget about this… adventure, his father would be still haunted by the shadow of guilt at the recollection of the moment when he didn't let his son to act according to his heart.

"However, Sergeant," continued Diego with slight frown, "I fail to see the connection between Zorro's offences and your commission."

"Oh, but there is one, Don Diego," replied casually Garcia. "The governor told me I am unfit to have an independent command if I let to hatch in my district such nuisance as the Fox."

"And that was very unfair, as it was _Capitán_ Monastario who hatched Zorro," added Reyes with pensiveness. "We only inherited him."

"It does not matter now," the sergeant waved his hand. "No one remembers that."

Diego froze, his relaxed pose tensing as he listened to the lancers. Then he said vehemently: "Sergeant, of course that you are fit to independent command! If you needed the testimony of someone who could confirm your competencies, why didn't you ask us?..."

"Thank you, Don Diego, but the governor was right. I didn't catch the Fox," stated Garcia matter-of-factly. "He always did in Los Angeles what he wanted and I was unable to stop him."

For a short while the guilt on Diego's face was so evident that even Garcia would understand its source, if he looked at the young man at the moment.

However, the sergeant, unaware of Diego's emotions, calmly puffed his cigar a few times and continued:

"Luckily, Zorro did whatever he wanted also in Monterey. The governor's soldiers couldn't stop him as well, and the governor had to admit that is it not my fault. That's simply because he is Zorro," Garcia said with a slight shrug. "And that day when Zorro didn't accept amnesty, but still rode for Señorita Verdugo, prevailed. The governor said that this bandit is just moonstruck and no sane man could foresee what he would do."

"So we are not incompetent, only sane," Corporal Reyes added cheerfully.

"That's when he finally let us go home," concluded Garcia. "I mean, he agreed that I would return to my previous position," he corrected himself quickly.

After the sergeant finished his tale, Diego didn't say anything, only sat with lowered head, resting his chin on the hand, so that his face was not visible. The silence prolonged, becoming awkward.

"That's good, Sergeant. Congratulations," said Alejandro, casting an anxious glance toward his son.

Bernardo sighed quietly. Diego was a foreseeing man, but there still were some things he never thought about. That was just one of them. Zorro was Garcia's friend and he saved him many times – he saved his life, his honor, his office. However, there was also another side of the coin. Sergeant Garcia would always be remembered as the clumsy soldier who chased the sly Fox and always failed to catch him. And there was nothing that Diego could do about it, just as he couldn't do anything about his father worrying about him, risking for him.

Diego must have come to the same conclusion, as he finally raised his head with unreadable, but calm expression.

"So, Sergeant. To the homecoming," he said, pouring the brandy to raise the toast, the only sign of his confusion being the fact that he filled his own glass first.

* * *

After the prolonged siesta the whole company prepared to set off. Alejandro wasn't delighted with the prospect of travelling in the company of Garcia and Reyes, but he understood that there was no choice but to offer them common journey. Besides, he felt sorry for these two… soldiers. They needed someone to take care of them until their reach the safety of the _cuartel_!...

When he and Bernardo went for their horses, for a moment Alejandro hesitated taking Phantom's reins. _Ah, let's just be over with it_ , he thought and led the animal toward the carriage trying to appear as calm as he could.

"You have a new horse, Don Alejandro! What a beautiful animal!" called with admiration Sergeant Garcia, once he saw Phantom.

"I do not think it is a new horse, Sergeant," muttered quietly Reyes.

Alejandro threw quick glance at Diego's direction. His son sat already in the carriage, with a book in his hand. He watched them with polite smile, but without real interest. Alejandro recalled fleetingly these many times when such listless expression on Diego's face made him boil with anger. Now his soul sang with joy that these were only appearances…

In the meantime, Garcia neared to Phantom.

"Of course that he is new! Don Alejandro didn't have a white horse in Monterey, if I had seen him, I would have remembered," he said trying to rub Phantom's nose. The horse shook the head and neighed reluctantly.

"We saw this horse in Monterey," said Reyes stepping back. "Be careful, Sergeant. He may not like you."

"All horses like me," retorted Garcia, reaching once again to Phantom. This time the stallion snapped his teeth so close to the sergeant's hand that the scared soldier jumped back with a frightened gasp.

"Not this one," commented Reyes moving behind the carriage. "The last time you met him, you chased him for a few hours. He may remember it."

" _Stupido_! I chased Zorro on a white horse, but this one is not…" the sergeant's voice trailed off, as he started at Phantom with widely opened eyes. "He is?..." he whispered in awe.

Alejandro took a deep breath, calmly tying Phantom's harness to the carriage.

"Sergeant, this horse belonged to the officer who was killed by the band of robbers trying to steal the money from Don Gregorio Verdugo. I bought him from his family. But Corporal Reyes is right, Zorro rode him a few times in Monterey."

"Zorro's horse! And he let you keep him!..." Garcia gasped again with almost devout respect and shadow of envy.

Alejandro cast a quick glance at Diego and saw him hiding a small smile. They both remembered how keen Sergeant Garcia was on Tornado. Two times he was already sure that he won the splendid black horse for himself, however, his hopes were soon dispelled.

The sergeant didn't ponder long his previous disappointments, only made quick deductions, as suddenly his face beamed with joy: "But it must mean that Zorro is returning to Los Angeles!"

"Why do you think so, Sergeant?" asked curiously Diego leaning out of the carriage.

"Well, if he doesn't need this horse anymore, it means that he is returning to Los Angeles where he has the black one to ride."

"An excellent deduction! I think you may just be right, Sergeant," exclaimed Diego and sent his father triumphant glance saying: 'I told you he is not stupid!' Alejandro shrugged his shoulders. At the present situation, it was hard to tell whether he would welcome the increase of Garcia's deductive skills, or rather be troubled with them.

"Now, that's a pity that this masked bandit will again pester you in Los Angeles, don't you think?" sighed Diego with sympathy.

 _This boy has no shame,_ thought Alejandro with amusement.

"Oh, no, Don Diego," Garcia shook his head. "As the matter of fact, I was very worried that Zorro might have moved to Monterey permanently. I wasn't certain how I would cope with all this stuff at the pueblo alone."

'All this stuff at the pueblo!' Alejandro was tempted to mention that it's not very reassuring to hear the _comandante_ of the pueblo say something like this, but he refrained himself from any comment and took the place in the carriage.

The lancers mounted their horses, but before they set off, Garcia turned to Phantom once again.

"I am sorry for that chase, horsey. You know, I am just a soldier. I was doing my job," he said. This time Phantom calmly let him pat his neck.

"Good boy," praised him the sergeant with a smile. "What's his name?"

"Phantom," replied Alejandro.

"Phantom?..." repeated Garcia with disbelief. "What a terrible name for such a pretty horse!"

Bernardo hurried the horses pulling the carriage and they slowly set off. Diego was calmly reading his book, appearing oblivious to everything around him, but Alejandro with growing excitement looked around, recognizing familiar features of the countryside. They were so close to home! His thoughts drifted to the business of the rancho. Certainly after such a long absence there would be many things to take care of…

Garcia and Reyes rode in front of the carriage. They were still impressed by Phantom and after a while the sergeant said to the corporal:

"I wonder, whether this horse would be swifter than Zorro's black one."

"Once they both are in Los Angeles, perhaps one day they would race," replied Reyes.

Diego's eyes didn't leave his book even for a second, but Alejandro saw his eyebrows rising. Certainly, they thought about the same at the moment. It would have to be a very secret race, with participants and public limited to the three men… but… it could be arranged.

 _And if there was such race... which horse would I chose?..._ mused Alejandro. He never had the occasion to watch Tornado closely… but he would after their return. _Phantom seems to be swifter, but the black one, being born a wild one, should be more endurable… and he knows the terrain better… So it would all depend on the route of the race…_

" _Stupido_!" the sergeant rebuked his subordinate. "Who would race with Zorro? And Zorro won't ride this horse anymore, so…" suddenly Garcia silenced, as if struck by sudden thought. Then he slowed his mount to even with Alejandro and asked:

"Don Alejandro… and what if Zorro needs this horse again?... Would you loan him?"

"Wouldn't that be counted as aiding the criminal?" Alejandro replied with a question.

"Ah, yes… no…" Garcia got flustered for a moment, but then continued: "But you know, Don Alejandro, sometimes Zorro rides with a good reason… I am not saying that you should loan him the horse so that he could escape the lancers, but… you know, Don Alejandro, I owe my life to the speed of Zorro's mount," he confessed with a sigh. "Who knows what the future brings?"

"Well, if the cause would be just and of great importance..." Alejandro pretended to hesitate and turned to his son. "What's your opinion, Diego?"

"What?..." Diego raised his sight from the book with absent expression. "Oh, yes… perhaps… But only in the utmost necessity," he replied with distraction.

However, before Diego returned to the lecture, for a second he met his father's sight and Alejandro had to smile, seeing the merry sparks dancing in his eyes.

 **The end**


End file.
